Kurenai and Asuma: Left Behind
by V-ChanUzumakiLSSJ
Summary: [Complete] Oneshot. Takes place during Naruto Shippuden, sometime after Team Asuma's first confrontation with Hidan and Kakuzu. Just an attempt to show how Kurenai took the news she received, and her thoughts and feelings on the matter.


Disclaimer - I own nothing.

A/N: 30th fic. 2nd Naruto fic. Takes place sometime after the death of Asuma.

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It was pouring down hard in Konoha, and it didn't look to be letting up any time soon. The sky was a darkish-gray, and it was loitered with many gray clouds to match. The usually bustling and crowded, busy streets of the Leaf Village were empty, not a soul in sight; for it was only natural that most of the inhabitants of the village would opt to stay inside as the weather appeared as if it'd only worsen as time passed on. One didn't have to be outside to know that strong gusts of winds were being released, for the nearby trees could be heard swaying...

Kurenai stared out of her window, watching the rain, her unique, red eyes heavy with sadness and pain. It was so... lonely. It was lonely without _him_.

_Asuma_.

After spending majority of their time and days together, of course it would be normal for one to grow attached, and get accustomed to the one they were spending most of their time with, but she wasn't just attached to him. No, it was more than that. She _loved_ him with every fiber of her being, and nothing, nor anyone would change that.

Like mostly every relationship - or at least, some - they had started off as friends. They had known each other since they were nine, and both of them found their selves enjoying the other's presence and company. It was probably needless to say that over time, they went from enjoying each other's presence and company, to harboring actual feelings for one another. Though, of course, neither of them contained the courage to let the other know how they felt about the other - both of them feared that it would ruin their friendship, and both of them knew that even if they did return the other's feelings, that as ninja's, when getting romantically involved or even if you weren't romantically involved, you had to be prepared to experience death - whether it be through your friends, family, or whomever you held dear, or of importance - and be aware that anything could occur.

That was just something you had to accept as a ninja among other things as well.

Like, for instance, the fact that Ninja's typically didn't live long.

That thought, that realization was what eventually sent them into action, and gave them the courage to ask the one another out. One day, ironically, both of them had stated what they had intended and how they felt simultaneously as soon as the opportunity presented itself - which was the next time they saw each other. And from that point on, they had began dating in secret. It wasn't as if they were ashamed of being seen with the other or anything of the sort - no, it was just the simple fact that they wanted their privacy, which they had both agreed to.

But, Kurenai wouldn't lie though. Although, she was very happy and content with her relationship with Asuma, she was scared just as much as she was happy. The very fact that Ninja's didn't live very long - which had pushed the two together - also caused her to realize that at any moment or any second of the day, she could be snatched away from Asuma, and Asuma could be snatched away from her.

Of course, it didn't take long for Asuma to infer that something was troubling her, and as expected, when he questioned her about it, she had given him an honest answer - she saw no reason to lie, seeing as how they had known each other for so long - stating how the very thought of losing him scared her. Undoubtedly, Asuma felt the same way, and told her that they only thing they could do was to enjoy the time they were granted to spend with each other, and treat every day as if it was their last day together. That answer, along with his understanding and reasoning, had eased her for a while, and as time still continued to pass on, she made the mistake of forgetting that either of them could die at any given moment.

Eventually, she and Asuma had got engaged - both believing that they had found the "one"- and no sooner than that, she found herself to be pregnant with his unborn child. Everything really seemed to be going great, and it was as if each day that passed, the more happier and excited she became at the thought of spending the rest of her life with him.

But when she had felt something terribly wrong when Asuma had briefed her on the mission he was about to go on, before leaving...she had hoped that it was just her hormones kicking in, making her worry obsessively over something she needn't to worry about...but then, when Shikamaru Nara, had stopped by her apartment sometime later on, with a grave look on his face, and his fists clenched...she just knew that she had lost Asuma.

That was when the waterworks began, the tears started overflowing and she dropped to her knees, a variety of emotions swirling and coursing within her. The emotions Kurenai felt ranged from shock, disbelief, sorrow, pain, and many other emotions she couldn't identify due to the fact that she was loudly sobbing, and mentally repeating how it couldn't be so, and how Asuma couldn't be dead.

They were going to get married. They were going to have a baby. Their baby. They were going to spend the rest of their lives together, happy and content.

At least...they were _supposed_ to.

Kurenai released a pained sigh, blinking rapidly in order to stop the tears that were threatening to form, but to no avail. The funeral had been immensely painful, and it had been hard to keep her composure, but she had somehow managed - whether it was because she spent most of her tears on when she received the news of Asuma's death, or whether it was due to something else, she wasn't sure.

But she just knew that she lost her closest friend, her support, her fiancé, the father of her child, her lover - her _everything. _And no matter what, she'd never feel completely whole again. When Asuma died, a part of her died with him, and as much as she hated the fact that he was gone...she was just grateful that she was pregnant with his child - She'd at least have a reminder of him, besides obviously, her memories, and the photos of him and her.

Her red eyes dropped down to the gold band she had on her left ring finger, which would also serve as a reminder of her now deceased lover, and she smiled weakly, brushing her fingers over the gold band, mentally vowing to never remove it.

It was quite ironic how the weather seemed as if it matched exactly how she feeling, and in some strange way, she found the rain at least somewhat comforting, and soothing. It had been tough to wake up every day since the death of Asuma, and realize that the harsh reality where her lover was indeed no longer living was true.

And she was pretty certain that it'd take her quite a while to get over his death, but...

Kurenai slowly moved her fingers from the gold band on her left ring finger, to her slightly bulging stomach, a faint smile on her features.

...with this constant reminder of Asuma, and their love, she was certain she'd find a way.

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Yosh! What do you think? Do you think Kurenai was in character? Review, please. Flames are definitely not welcomed, but constructive criticism is very welcomed.


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